The Working Memory Model

Question 1

What is the working memory model?

Answer 1

An explanation of how one aspect of memory is organised and how it functions

Question 2

what is central executive?

Answer 2

the component of the WMM that coordinates the activities of the three subsystems in memory

Question 3

what is the phonological loop?

Answer 3

component of the WMM that process information in terms of sound this includes both written and spoken material

Question 4

what is visual spatial sketchpad?

Answer 4

components of WMM that processes, visual and spatial information in mental space

Question 5

what is episodic buffer?

Answer 5

component of the WMM that brings together a material from the other subsystems into single memory

Question 6

explain the working model?

Answer 6

CE – monitors incoming data and divides a limited attention and allocate subsystems to tasks very limited capacity
phonological loop – deals with auditory information divide into the phonological store and articulatory process
Visual spatial sketchpad – stores visual and spatial information when required limited capacity and split into visual cash and inner scribe
episodic buffer – temporary store for information basically records events that are happening and it has limited capacity

Question 6

Evaluate one strength of the working memory model?

Answer 6

Shallice in Warrington studied a patient care he had a brain injury and had poor STM ability for auditory information but could process visual information normally for instance he could recall letters and digits when he read them but when they were read to him, he struggled ,this shows the phonological loop was damaged but visual sketchpad was intact. This shows they are separate.

Question 7

Evaluate another strength of the working memory model?

Answer 7

Studies of dual task performance study support the separate existence of the visual spatial sketchpad for example participants carried out a visual and a verbal task at the same time. The performance of each was similar to when they carried out the task separately but when when both were same visual performance declined. this is because visual tasks compete for the same subsystem

Question 8

evaluate one limitation of the working memory model?

Answer 8

Lack of clarity of the central executive for example baddeley said the central executive is the most important but least understood component of the working memory model, he said it needs to be more clearly specified than just being simply attention